1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to boot bindings, and more specifically to boot bindings for snowboards.
2. Background Information
Snowboarding requires the user to stand with both feet on the snowboard. Bindings on the snowboard secure the user's boots to the snowboard so that the user can adequately maneuver the snowboard. When riding the snowboard, the user's boots are bound such that they both point primarily toward one side of the snowboard. Unfortunately, when the user is on a flat area such as the path to a ski lift, it is difficult to create any forward movement because of the facts that both of the user's boots are bound to the snowboard and poles are not used in snowboarding, unlike skiing. Thus, the user must release the back boot from its binding and push forward in the same way a skateboarder uses a free foot to achieve forward movement. The problem with this situation is that the user's front boot is still bound to the snowboard at an awkward angle. That is, the longitudinal axis of the user's front boot is substantially non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. Thus, on one hand, the user is trying to push the snowboard in a forward direction with the back boot, but on the other hand, the user's front boot is pointing away from the forward direction.
Furthermore, when the user is sitting on a ski lift, the front boot is still bound to the snowboard while the back boot is free, causing one of the user's legs to twist at an uncomfortable angle as it dangles in the air. If two users are sitting next to each other on the ski lift, and they use opposite boots as their front boot, the twisting of their legs due to their respective bindings can cause their snowboards to collide with each other. This is not only irritating, but also potentially dangerous. Getting off a ski lift is also potentially troublesome because the angle at which the user's front boot is bound to the snowboard can make it difficult for the user to position the snowboard perpendicularly to the ski lift chair. If the snowboard is not positioned perpendicularly to the ski lift chair as the snowboard hits the ground, the user could veer off to one side and run into the person who had been sharing the ski lift.
The above mentioned problems affect all snowboard users, but beginning snowboard users are especially affected by such problems because they are unaccustomed to having their leg twisted at an awkward angle. When this awkwardness is coupled with the beginning snowboard user's overall inexperience with maneuvering and controlling a snowboard, the beginning snowboard user can be especially at risk to suffer an injury.
A user may ride a snowboard in a right-foot-forward position or in a left-foot-forward position. A right-foot-forward position is typically referred to as a "goofy foot" position. Since many users do not own their own snow boards, there is a market to provide rental snowboards for these users. Since the height, size, and foot orientation of a user will vary widely between users, it would be advantageous to have a boot binding that is easily adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of users.
Step-in type snowboard boot bindings are growing in popularity. The step-in bindings operate similarly to convention snow ski bindings. One problem with the step-in snowboard bindings is that the user's boot tends to shake or rattle within the binding during use.
Thus, what is needed is a boot binding that is easily and quickly rotatable to and from different positions, thereby allowing the user to select a comfortable, safe and useful angle for the user's boot and leg. Moreover, what is needed is a boot binding or apparatus that will stabilize the user's boot within the boot binding and/or absorb shock to the user's boot.